Information Management in Fab Labs: Avoiding Information and Communication Overload in Digital Manufacturing

Abstract

Information is managed avoiding overload in Fab Labs, digital manufacturing environments. Collaborative spaces like Maker Spaces, Hacker Spaces, Tech Shops and Fab Labs are intended to stimulate innovation, through the exchange and sharing of information, knowledge, and experience among its members. They leverage innovation stimulating the creativity of its participants and enabling the creation of products and solutions based on personal projects, developed communally. With the motto “Learn, Make, Share,” these spaces aim to empower its members for the realization of local and community-based sustainable solutions, using open source tools and equipment's, to allow every member the possibility of creating low cost products, with the ability to very quickly show the viability of these ideas through the acceptance by the community, that will make these solutions evolve collaboratively. It will be analyzed and described how Fab Labs manage their information to avoid information overload, maximizing the networking amongst its members.